{"id":3503,"date":"2023-03-25T18:52:48","date_gmt":"2023-03-25T18:52:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.clueclinic.com\/?page_id=3503"},"modified":"2026-07-25T14:45:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T13:45:38","slug":"whimsical-indicators","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/whimsical-indicators\/","title":{"rendered":"Whimsical Indicators"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whimsical indicators tell the solver to perform a manipulation which cannot be justified simply by reference to the dictionary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-1&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading has-medium-font-size\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-1\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Example<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-1\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Suppress detailed report (3) = BAN; the last letter in BANG must be removed, to produce the answer. While the verb &#8216;tail&#8217; can mean &#8216;to provide with a tail&#8217;, there is no such word as &#8216;detail&#8217; in the sense of &#8216;to remove the tail from&#8217;. However, this construction is frequently seen, at least in blocked crosswords.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-2&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading has-medium-font-size\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-2-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-2\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Using the List<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-2\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-2-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The list can be sorted by &#8216;Indicator&#8217; or &#8216;Acceptability&#8217;.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The list can be filtered using the drop-down on &#8216;Acceptability&#8217;. To reset the filter, select &#8216;Acceptability&#8217; from the top of the drop-down list.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-3&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading has-medium-font-size\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-3-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-3\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Notes for Setters<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-3\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-3-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There is also scope for similar whimsy in definitions, eg &#8216;unlocked&#8217; or &#8216;distressed&#8217; for BALD. It&#8217;s probably fair to say that whimsical definitions are generally viewed more favourably than their counterparts in wordplay.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We have not included words which need to be arbitrarily split in order to provide the instruction, eg &#8216;cleaving&#8217; to indicate the removal of C or &#8216;lout&#8217; for the omission of L; these &#8216;lift and separate&#8217; constructions fall into a separate category and their use in cryptic crosswords has no linguistic basis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-4&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading has-medium-font-size\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-4-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-4\" type=\"button\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Recent Changes<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-4\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-4-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Date last modified: 10\/07\/26<\/em><br><em>Recent changes<\/em>: (10\/07\/26) added <em>soundly<\/em> (homophone).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-19\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-19 tablepress-responsive\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Indicator<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Action<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Justification<\/th><th class=\"column-4\">Acceptability<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">childless<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of CH<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">&#8216;without children&#8217;<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">debased<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of E<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">decent<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of C<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">defaced<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of first letter<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">defined<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of F<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">degaussed<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of G<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">denoted<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of N<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">departed<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of PT<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">detailed<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of last letter<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">&#8216;tail&#8217; = &#8216;to provide with a tail&#8217;<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-11\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">disclosed<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of CLO<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-12\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">disclosed<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of last letter<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-13\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">discontented<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">First and last letter selection<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-14\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">discovered<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of first and last letters<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">obsolete meaning = &#8216;uncovered&#8217;<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-15\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">discredited<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of CR<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-16\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">disfigured<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of FIG<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-17\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">disjointed<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of J<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-18\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">extra-special<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Containing S (or SP)<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-19\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">extraordinary<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Containing O<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-20\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">footloose<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of F<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-21\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">listless<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of first and last letters<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-22\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">powerless<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of P<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">&#8216;deprived of power&#8217;<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-23\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">replaced<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Anagram<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-24\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">reposed<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Anagram<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-25\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">represented<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Anagram<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-26\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">reserved<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Anagram<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-27\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">soft-hearted<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Insertion of P in middle<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-28\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">soundly<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Homophone<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-29\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">stoneless<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of ST<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-30\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">sunless<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of S<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-31\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">timeless<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of T<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">&#8216;independent of time&#8217;<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-32\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">unanswered<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of A (or ANS)<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-33\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">uncrowned<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of first letter<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-34\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">undated<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of D<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-35\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">unearthed<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of E<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-36\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">unfathomed<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of F<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-37\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">unfocused<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of middle letter<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-38\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">unleaded<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of first letter<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-39\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">unlined<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of L<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-40\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">unlisted<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of first and last letters<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-41\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">unmarked<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of M<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-42\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">unnamed<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of N<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-43\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">unnumbered<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of N<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-44\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">unshipped<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of SS<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-45\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">untrained<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of last letter<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-46\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">upended<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Reversal of last two letters (down clue)<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-47\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">weightless<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Removal of W<\/td><td class=\"column-3\"><\/td><td class=\"column-4\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-19 from cache -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whimsical indicators tell the solver to perform a manipulation which cannot be justified simply by reference to the dictionary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3503","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3503"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3503\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7282,"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3503\/revisions\/7282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clueclinic.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}